BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL
STRATEGY COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE STRATEGY COMMITTEE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON THURSDAY, 31 JULY 2008
Quick Links
PRESENT: Mr N A Ridley – Chairman
|
Mr M P Booth
Mrs S Carpendale
Mr A J Hinton
Ms J A Jenkins
Mr R E Kemp |
Mr B L Lazenby
Mr C M Spence
Mr R W Thake
Mrs S M Wigglesworth |
Mr N A Bennett and Dr M R Miller were unable to be present.
Mr C W Arthey, Waste Management Strategy Champion, was present at the meeting to assist in the presentation of the item referred to in Minute No.41 below.
Councillor Roy Barker, the Portfolio Holder for Environment from Mid-Suffolk District Council, was in attendance to assist in the presentation of the item referred to in Minute No.41 below.
It was noted that in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 5 substitutes were in attendance as follows:-
Mr R W Thake (substituting for Mr N A Bennett)
Mr B L Lazenby (substituting for Dr M R Miller)
Back to Top
Mr C M Spence and Mr R E Kemp both declared personal interests in the item referred to in Minute No.42 below by virtue of being Members of Suffolk County Council.
Back to Top
RESOLVED
That the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 June 2008 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
Back to Top
None received.
Back to Top
None received.
Back to Top
None received.
Back to Top
Planning Position Statement – Brantham Industrial Area (Development Committee Minute No. 25)
Mr R W Thake, Chairman of the Development Committee introduced this item.
It was agreed that East Bergholt Parish Council being added to the list of relevant contacts/consultees, under Section 9 of the Statement.
RESOLVED
That the adoption and publication of the Planning Position Statement: Brantham Industrial Area attached as Appendix A to Paper H51 be approved subject to the Head of Natural and Built Environment being authorised to make any minor amendments and updates.
Back to Top
The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper H72) on items identified for future meetings of the Strategy Committee.
RESOLVED
That the Work Plan set out in Paper H72 be noted.
Back to Top
The Project and Programme Executive submitted a report (Paper H73) detailing an opportunity to work with Town and Parish Councils in the allocation of financial contributions secured for recreational purposes pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) from housing sites of less than 1.5 hectares.
It was noted that the report had been prepared in response to Member concerns at Development Committee as to how recreation contributions secured from housing sites of less than 1.5 hectares were dealt with. The report suggested considerable community involvement in the allocation of these funds.
RESOLVED
(1) That the policy, eligibility criteria and assessment criteria, for the allocation of financial contributions received by the Council under Section 106 contributions as detailed in Appendix 1 of Paper H73, be approved.
(2) That the process for the allocation of funds detailed in Appendix 2 of Paper H73 be approved.
(3) That the administration of current funding set out in paragraph 6.9, the timetable detailed in paragraph 6.10 and the proposals for future funding detailed in paragraphs 6.11 and 6.12 of Paper H73 be approved.
Back to Top
The Head of Natural and Built Environment submitted a report (Paper H75) presenting the final report of the Joint Babergh District Council/Mid Suffolk District Council Member/Officer Working Group, appointed in the autumn of 2007 to investigate the potential for implementing a district-wide third household kerbside bin service for compostable waste in Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council from 2009/10 on a cost neutral basis and to consider recommendations arising therefrom.
The Joint Working Group has identified a preferred scheme, but acknowledges that this has significant capital and revenue implications for the Council. It will be for each Council to determine whether or not the scheme should be implemented.
During consideration of this matter, an amendment was moved that a review of any decision be undertaken in twelve months time. Upon being put to the vote, this amendment was lost.
RESOLVED
That due to the high revenue costs and the impact on the Council’s current financial strategy, the proposed scheme for the collection of kitchen waste is not implemented within the Babergh District, during the financial year 2009/10.
Back to Top
The Chief Executive submitted a report (Paper H74) outlining the draft proposals of the Boundary Committee in respect of possible future unitary structures for Local Government in Suffolk and Norfolk. A summary of the proposals and relevant maps were provided as Appendices (a) to (f) of Paper H74.
The public consultation period on these draft proposals began with their publication on 7 July 2008 and will end on 26 September 2008.
It was noted that the Political Leaders’ Group (PLG) had compared the Boundary Committee’s proposals with Babergh’s own stated preference for a two-unitary County based on an east/west split with Ipswich at the heart of a strong East Suffolk Unitary and a West Suffolk Unitary with Bury St Edmunds as its administrative headquarters.
PLG considered that the Boundary Committee’s draft proposal had considerable synergy with our own preferences but the boundary of the East/West split should be further east.
The Committee were requested to consider the Boundary Committee’s draft proposals and the preliminary informal views of PLG in providing a steer to Officers in the formulation of a draft response to the Boundary Committee for consideration by Council.
RESOLVED
That the views of Members, including possible alternative boundaries to the North Haven Unitary as shown at Appendix F to Paper H74, be tested informally through the Members’ Seminar on 5 August 2008, and that these views be fed back to this Committee for further consideration at an additional meeting following the Seminar.
Back to Top
The Head of Natural and Built Environment submitted a report (Paper H76) advising that Babergh District Council has been consulted by Uttlesford District Council on planning applications relating to proposals for a second runway at Stansted Airport with associated ancillary facilities and offsetting proposals.
The report outlined a proposed response to the consultation and identified any relevant implications and issues. During the course of discussion of this item, a suggestion was made that the forthcoming Climate Change Bill made reference to the reduction of CO2 emission by 2050 and it was agreed that, should this be relevant, this be included in any response.
RESOLVED
That, subject to the Head of Natural and Built Environment being authorised to make minor amendments, the response attached as Appendix A to Paper H76 be agreed as a formal response to the planning applications to Uttlesford District Council. This raises objections to the proposed expansion of Stansted Airport and expresses concerns about issues for which there is insufficient information at the current time.
Back to Top
The Head of Natural and Built Environment submitted a report (Paper H77) advising Members of a new funding stream available for use by the Council, the terms under which it may be used, and recommending proposals for its use for the benefit of the Babergh District.
The Haven Gateway Sub-Region was awarded “Growth Point” status in recognition of the high growth levels (in both housing and additional job numbers) to which the area had signed up. High growth levels require significant investment and improvements in essential infrastructure. The Government therefore created a new fund to which the numerous growth areas and growth points could apply.
The key considerations in accessing this funding are that schemes to be financed through this fund should deliver (or unlock) the growth that we have committed to and/or support this growth. Discussions have taken place to ascertain which projects to pursue for Babergh through new growth point funding, and a list of initial projects was outlined in paragraph 5.4 of Paper H77.
RESOLVED
(1) That the initial list of projects set out in Appendix A of Paper H77 be endorsed for submission to the Haven Gateway Partnership for new growth point funding and implementation.
(2) That if circumstances change and it proves necessary to pursue alternative projects from those listed, authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Chairman of Strategy Committee and the Member representative for the Haven Gateway Partnership to substitute different proposals for those set out in Paper H77.
Back to Top
The Director of Finance submitted a report (Paper H78) advising on the proposed approach for dealing with the savings that have resulted from variations in expenditure and income compared to the budget that arose in 2007/08 and approve a number of key budget carry forward requests.
It was noted that more rigorous arrangements are being put in place to strengthen financial management and budgetary control of both these carry forwards and current year budgets.
RESOLVED
(1) That the revenue budget carry forward requests detailed in Appendix A and the capital budget carry forward requests detailed in Appendix B to Paper H78 be approved.
(2) That an Earmarked Reserve of £100,000 is created from the budget savings that arose in 2007/08 to deal with any essential Local Government Review work that may be necessary and that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chairman of Strategy Committee, be authorised to utilise this.
(3) That the Medium-Term Planning Task group consider whether any of the remaining General Fund savings in 2007/08 of £205,000 should be allocated towards priorities contained in the Medium-Term Strategic Plan Action Plans.
Back to Top
The Head of Community Development submitted a report (Paper H79) informing Members of BT’s proposals to remove forty-three public call boxes in the Babergh District.
The details of the consultation process and information as to how the Council has consulted with the community were also outlined in the report.
RESOLVED
That subject to the Head of Community Development being authorised to make any amendments as a result of any further comments received during the consultation period, the draft “Final Notification” attached as Appendix 2 to Paper H79 be submitted as Babergh’s response to BT and the Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, subject to the following amendment:-
Box 42 at PC01, Newmans Green, Acton – Agree to the removal.
Back to Top
The Head of Contract and Asset Management submitted a report (Paper H80) requesting approval to the Haven Gateway Green Infrastructure Strategy.
It was noted that the Strategy had been prepared on behalf of the Haven Gateway partnership by a Steering Group representing Local Authorities, Government Agencies, Wildlife Trusts and the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Unit.
It was recently launched by the Partnership and the Council has been asked to endorse the document, the vision of which was to establish a framework for the delivery of high quality green infrastructure over the next twenty years complementing and supporting planned housing and development growth and to contribute to quality of life by ensuring that everyone has access to a high quality natural and historic environment.
RESOLVED
That the Haven Gateway Green Infrastructure Strategy be endorsed as a framework for the delivery of accessible natural greenspace within the Babergh district.
Back to Top
The Head of Contract and Asset Management submitted a report (Paper H81) requesting approval for land at Sandringham Court, Sudbury to be appropriated from housing purposes to planning purposes. This will enable an affordable housing development comprising four one-bedroomed flats and associated car parking to be carried out by Suffolk Heritage Housing Association, overriding a right of way currently enjoyed over part of the land.
RESOLVED
That, subject to securing an indemnity for all financial liability for interference with the right of way, the Head of Contract and Asset Management be authorised to appropriate the land at Sandringham Court, Sudbury (shown edged red on the plan attached to Paper H81) from housing purposes to planning purposes.
Back to Top
RESOLVED
That pursuant to part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the business specified below on the grounds that if the public were present during this item it is likely that there would be the disclosure to them of exempt information as indicated against the item.
The Committee were satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.
Back to Top
The Head of Community Development submitted a report (Paper H82) outlining a proposal to transfer a site at Poplar Road, Great Cornard to Suffolk Heritage Housing Association (SHHA) in order that the redevelopment of the site can commence as soon as possible.
RESOLVED
That the Poplar Road shops site be transferred to SHHA upon terms approved by the District Valuer in one parcel subject to the conclusion of a legal agreement with the owner of the Chinese Restaurant, and before any legally binding agreement has been concluded with the shopkeepers for the surrender of the leases of the existing shops and the grant of leases for the new shops.
Back to Top
Note: The meeting adjourned between 3.00 p.m. and 3.20 p.m. for refreshments
The business of the meeting was concluded at 6.00 p.m.
Chairman
|